"Oh dear baby,
Come on, little honey,
You're so cute!
Perform for mommy for money.
This will get you known.
Leave the toy, let's practice.
Pick up the phone."

"Oh, see, you're famous!
Followers in millions, you see?
Leave the clay there.
We can't waste your cuteness on mud and toys, can we?"

"Oh, mommy,
I want a doll and a pillow fortress too.
Others are playing, let me join them."
"Oh dear I have more video ideas in the cue."

"But I want to see the colourful skies,
I want to play in the park, on the slide.
I'll run on the grass instead of recording,
Not going to the studio, so colourless, boring and wide."

"You're known by millions!
Oh dear, see, you're already adored.
You're getting better thing than a toy.
You're getting popular, why are you getting bored?"

"With likes and comments,
What am I supposed to do?
I'm tired of being composed like an adult
Let me be all clumsy with my doll,
will you?"

They deserve to be running,
Those little energy bundles,
Shenanigans throughout the day.
Let them see the world's wonders.

With toys, with clay, playing games,
Not preparing to act in the frame.

Behind the screens,
where lost childhood weeps,
May god protect every child from Predators and creeps.

Not many will agree, but I'll say:
For getting famous, let's not take that lovely childhood away.

-Aditi Hayaran (Larkspur)